Runaways Season Two: The One Where They Actually Run Away

By starrymag | December 21, 2018

By: Marnie Faith

 

 

After what feels forever, Runaways will finally be gracing our screens for Season Two on December 21st. The Hulu original series, based on the Marvel comics, will be dropping all at once. Just like that, Friday becomes the perfect day to cancel all plans, get comfortable in front of the nearest television and prepare to binge. With a steady trickle of trailers dropping the last few weeks, fans have been afforded the chance to sneak a glimpse of how the premiere episode will set up the rest of the season. With our eyes on Season Two, how will the slow burn of the first season build towards a bigger and better season to come?

 

Season One demonstrated why you shouldn’t always judge a book by its cover (or a TV series by its title, in this case) due to the fact there wasn’t actually a lot of running involved. Instead, we were introduced to a complex mix of characters whose secrets set the pace to make or break families and friendships alike. A group of teenagers discover their parents are secretly super-villains part of an organisation called P.R.I.D.E. From here, the journey of discovery only gets deeper – some have superpowers, others have feelings for each other and some even have both. It wasn’t until the finale episode “Hostile” that we witnessed the group of teenagers actually run away, as a result of the impending danger to themselves, their parents and to Los Angeles from an eight hundred year old villain named Jonah (Julian McMahon).

 

The group find themselves on the run very early on into the Season One finale and Season Two looks to pick right back up where they left off. The trailer shows them stripped of the luxuries they’ve grown accustomed to and instead are forced to realize how the other half live. Nico (Lyrica Okano) declares that they suck at being Runaways and, honestly, she’s not wrong. Despite the trailer appearing reluctant to give anything major away, fans of the comic book will spot a fleeting reference to the “hostel” the group sought refuge in throughout the comic world. These little odes to the paper universe these characters were created in shows how well thought out the writers have made this season to come, garnering interest from viewers both familiar and new.

 

Going into Season Two there’s a lot to be explored. The trailer alone had me pondering at least twenty plot possibilities. How could the writers possibly choose which to prioritize? First of all, the kids have been framed for murder by their own parents. On top of this, they’re forced to figure out how on earth they’re going to dismantle the giant hole in the ground P.R.I.D.E established that has the potential to break California off from the rest of the United States. Not to mention they must maintain their well-beings long enough to stay alive.  All of this pressure from a multitude of outside influences is sure to wear on the group at some point. On top of that, as if being homeless, broke and wanted fugitives wasn’t enough, they’ve also got the added headache of the genetically engineered dinosaur to think about. The shot of Gert’s (Ariela Barer) beloved Old Lace being pushed around in a shopping cart as they wander the streets perfectly encapsulates how the show manages to balance humor alongside compelling storylines, making for a perfectly justifiable day of sitting glued to the television.

 

Whilst Season One saw a lot of slow burn alongside the development of a plethora of main characters, it’ll be interesting to see how the second season copes with the newfound need for urgency of storytelling, as opposed to holding all of its cards close to its chest.  We know who the Runaways are and we know their parents are evil and, arguably, heartless. We know Jonah is insane. That’s a lot of plot taken away, so where do they go from here? It’ll be nice to see how their independence works to shape the teens, free of the pressures their parents put on them.

 

One of the pivotal moments of the trailer that had social media buzzing was the second long shot of Karolina (Virginia Gardner) and Nico kissing. Though their relationship is still very fresh, the final episodes of Season One explored how deeply they cared for each other. Left to fend for themselves, many opportunities become available with regard to which direction the season takes the pair. Here’s hoping the writers will allow them to find the happiness they deserve. On a slightly cheerier note, the second season holds a lot of promise in regards for Karolina’s personal development. For the first time in her life, she isn’t forced to hide who she really is. Through breaking away from her parents, she’s gained the autonomy to be her true self – something that will serve as a journey of discovery for both viewers and herself. A lot is possible with regards to her character development; to see how she chooses to establish herself in the group will undoubtedly demonstrate what this new found freedom has done for her self-awareness.

 

Karolina and Nico aren’t the only relationship with room for development. Gert and Chase (Gregg Sulkin) were also seen to finally acknowledge their feelings for each other toward the closing of SeasonOone. Something that may throw a spanner in the works of the pair; however, is how closely the writers decide to stick to the comic book narratives. The comics see Gert die not once, but twice. Now, I don’t know about anyone else, but having someone you have feelings for die multiple times whilst you’re already trying to deal with being alone in the world away from parents that have framed you for murder might just be a tiny bit too much to handle for Chase. Not that he can be blamed though as it’s important to remember that amidst all the adventures and problems thrown at the Runaways, they are all just teenagers. They should be spending their days planning their prom outfits, not trying to save the state of California from a man-made hole in the ground whose contents is very much alive.

 

The tagline for this season reads “Every kid turns into their parents.” Could this be a foreboding of what’s to come? From what we know about both the P.R.I.D.E. parents and the Runaways themselves, it’s seems very far fetched that the teens could turn as wicked as their parents have proved to be. The two groups parallel each other entirely – the parents are shown as selfish, self-obsessed individuals who treat their children as a second thought. They sacrifice innocent teenagers for their leader, Jonah, and go as far as having their children be some of the most wanted people in America. Looking at the teens, all they do is try to help themselves, each other and society as a whole. They are constantly waiting for the next battle to arise in order to save America once again. They could not be more different if they tried.

 

With all this in mind; however, could it be possible that some of them may eventually find their journeys leading them to a direction similar to their parents after all?  One of the most anticipated character developments for me this season will be that of Alex (Rhenzy Feliz). Knowing what we do about his character in the comic books, it’ll be interesting to see where the writers decide to take him. To give a bit of context for those who haven’t read the comics, Alex takes a complete one hundred and eighty turn from founder of the Runaways to slightly insane super villain. His intentions are good from the beginning; he discovers his parents involvement in P.R.I.D.E. and their servitude to the Gibborim – it is because of this he strives to protect them. This is where he meets his downfall.

 

Though not shown to possess any particular powers, Alex’s genius places him as a prodigy, which allows him to double as a master manipulator. The comics bear witness to him manipulating the Runaways to act how he wishes them to and do how he pleases. Due to the close knit nature of their friendship, the rest of the group don’t think to doubt him and, thus, happily oblige to how he wishes to proceed with their new circumstance. Although, throughout the comics he is sent on a whirlwind of a journey and readers aren’t sure whether to love or loathe him. He begins the series with so much promise; he’s smart, he has a heart of gold, harbors a slight crush on Nico and just wants to protect his parents. However, as the comics progress, he’s shown to evolve into a barely recognizable version of his former self.

 

Knowing this, it’ll be intriguing to watch which direction the show chooses to take him. Runaways doesn’t see itself confined to following the storyline of the comic scene for scene, suggesting that my guess is currently as good as anyone’s. However, the Alex we currently know is one very similar to the one in the comics, pre-villain days. He’s amongst the Runaways who’re learning to detach themselves for the comfort of their privileged lives in order to embrace their new environments. Here’s hoping this self-awareness journey will hold a light at the end of the tunnel for him.

 

For me, the shows biggest strength is the way in which it manages to intertwine the starkly different personalities of the Runaways in a way that makes for unity. My biggest hope is that Season Two chooses to fully explore the strains and triumphs they achieve together as a result of this, as opposed to falling trap to attempting to flesh out too many individual narratives at once. The social commentary that will undoubtedly present itself throughout the season has the potential to present a deeply compelling narrative. The teens must get to grips with deconstructing their privilege whilst understanding how people on the other side of the bread line live. Should the writers be concise enough with their work, it’s a narrative that could do a lot of good in a time where there’s a mounting pressure for television to be both woke and entertaining.

 

There’s a lot to piece together this season – from character arcs to narratives that it’s no small task for the writers to take on. That being said, I still hold every faith that the writers have learned from what didn’t work so great in Season One in order to make Season Two a really kick-ass, heart warming, action packed adventure!